Culture

KISSIMMEE, Fla.— Joanie Roth felt the full weight of being entrusted with the precious inheritance of her newborn son, Julian. Her thoughts raced as she contemplated all she and her husband would have to do to help their child succeed. “I wondered how we were going to help our son to reach various milestones in life and become a successful human being with solid values,” the Kissimmee resident said. “I knew we were going to need the help of a real expert.” Many turn to ancient advice for practical parenting The Roths are among the billions who take on the behind-the-scenes, hard and often stressful work of rearing children. No wonder many find parenthood overwhelming, even daunting. Recognizing the critical role of parents, the United Nations has even established a Global Day of Parents on June 1 to appreciate their self-sacrificing commitment and nurturing. A Bible-based website is helping thousands of dedicated parents around the world get better at what they do. “I’m constantly amazed at how we can easily access such an extensive library of information to aid us in our daily life,” said Michael Roth. “The free content has helped us with many of the challenges that come with parenthood. At the same time, it has helped make our family stronger and happier.” Among the 22 million daily downloads of digital content from jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, are articles such as:∙Fulfilling Your Role as a Parent ∙How to Be a Good Dad ∙What Makes a Good Parent?The website offers free videos, audio recordings and articles on various topics based on the time-tested, practical advice from the Scriptures. The global nonprofit organization of Bible educators emphasizes strengthening family bonds. Parents and children are encouraged to congregate together at their places of worship called Kingdom Halls, participate in a volunteer ministry, designate weekly family time and engage in wholesome recreation. “Parents have the power and the primary responsibility of strengthening the bonds of love within their families,” said Keith Barros, local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Strong bonds of love result in strong families. Strong families, in turn, make for strong communities. Our places of worship help greatly in that regard. There, parents along with their children can learn, not only how they can become good Christians, but also how they can become successful citizens.

Education